This invention relates to the field of irrigation tools, and, more particularly, to a tool for installing irrigation emitter barbs in irrigation tubing.
It is common to use plastic tubing to distribute water to various locations for irrigation purposes. In such use, hollow irrigation emitter barbs are mounted as desired on the plastic tubing. Such barbs are hollow allowing the water contained within the tubing to be distributed, or emitted, as desired. Small diameter flexible tubing can be mounted on the barbs to place the water where desired.
Irrigation emitter barbs are generally symmetrical and are provided with sharp piercing points at both ends to penetrate the wall of the tubing. Further, enlarged heads are provided to impede the withdrawal of the barb from the tubing. While irrigation emitter barbs can be installed by hand, the sharp piercing points can cause injury to workers. In fact, the present invention was inspired after applicant viewed the bloodied hands of workers installing a large number of such irrigation emitter barbs.
Various types of installation tools are well known in art. For example, punch tools have been employed which punch the hole in the tubing for the subsequent placement of irrigation emitter barbs. However, installation still requires handling of the sharp piercing points by the installer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,985 entitled xe2x80x9cLaboratory Toolxe2x80x9d which issued on Sep. 16, 1980 to Greenleaf discloses a ferrule removal tool which utilizes a solid post and slot combination which engages the end, not the periphery, of a tube to remove a ferrule therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,321 entitled xe2x80x9cEar Tag Applicatorsxe2x80x9d which issued on Feb. 5, 1985 to Fearing et al. shows the use of a tapered pin to engage the interior recess of a hard conical spike portion of a two piece animal tag. The spike rests upon a platform of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,339 entitled IRRIGATION FITTING WITH INSTALLATION BARB AND ASSOCIATED INSTALLATION BARB TOOL which issued on Jun. 11, 1985 to Costa discloses an irrigation fitting barb and associated barb insertion tool. However, the Costa tool requires use of the specific Costa fitting to properly function and thus does not function with standard irrigation emitter barbs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,846 entitled INSERTION TOOL which issued on Jan. 12, 1983 to Bryant discloses a hand held tool for inserting fittings or flow control devices into an irrigation line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,616 entitled SELF-PERFORATING DRIP IRRIGATION DEVICE which issued on Jul. 12, 1983 to Olson shows, in FIGS. 10 and 11, a tool for inserting barbs into an irrigation line.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,464,807 entitled DENTAL INSTRUMENT which issued on Aug. 14, 1923 to Clark shows a plier type tool having a punch at the far end and an anvil portion which cooperates with a recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,419 entitled DEVICES FOR PIERCING TUBES IN CLOSED PRESSURE SYSTEMS which issued on Oct. 17, 1972 to Tura and U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,718 entitled TAP LINE PLIERS which issued on Mar. 21, 1995 to Roinick Sr. are representative of several patents showing plier type tools having a lower jaw which supports a tube and an upper jaw which has a punch.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,722,142 and 5,893,201 both entitled INSTALLATION TOOL FOR IRRIGATION EMITTER BARBS which issued on Mar. 3, 1998 and Apr. 13, 1999, respectively, to the present inventor provide a tool for using the irrigation emitter barbs themselves as a punch.
None of the known prior art disclose the combination set forth herein.
It is an object of this invention to provide a tool for installing irrigation emitter barbs in irrigation tubing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a tool for installing irrigation emitter barbs in irrigation tubing in two steps.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a tool for safely installing irrigation emitter barbs in irrigation tubing.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.